Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-24
Written for TIVE EVENING STAR
w FRIEND CHAYNE.
The Real Cause OF the Late Dep,orah,s
Change I'm His Personal Appearance.


nature was like his cOmplexion-clear and bright
and wholesome. There were no blepaisbes on
either, and both were about the same at all hours
o. the day. IL at any time first glance didn't dis
cover smile on his face second never failed TO
ind one peeping out Of his eye ready az the least
encouragement to expand all over his countenance
le. ~ was not be1ming nor ELUSIVE smile. but
the smile Of fresh. modest, ard thoroughly good
hatured boy; subjective rather than objective the
spontaneous enanatiOn OF happy and self-cOn-
tented SOUL He was unusually well informed for
his years. and could talk pIeasingly and intellI-
gently on most current subjects BUT ne was very
Inodest and II he found II necessary 20 advance an
Opthlon decidedly opposed TO that held by any one
else, did II always with a charmingly deprecatory
manner AT which none could take Offense. That Is
ID al Out one SUBJECT ON baseball, athletics
aquatlcs, and allied questions he was the most
psuve man alive. Here he wouldn't tolerate con-
Tadictfon- OF these things he knew an there was
10 BE- known, and really SEEMED TO think himself
SOLE IepOsitOry OF the knowledge. He wouldn't
.dint MS best friend 70 silent partnership In a
saifl-ciaSS fact relating In any way To outdoor
sports True, he ala seem 70 be familiar with
every event In the universe OF sport. far as l.
RANK outsider, could judge; but that hardly ex-
clsed his colossal intolerance OF alien opinion
But IL was In relation To the fair sex that nv
,i,p ~, NJ was nlost reIreshlng IL was oeal-
Knew her. however jolly and chummy they might
o, Discerning eye could always discover In his
benavlor acharning reserve Of chlvalric reverence
that no Knight OF the Round Table, verify be-
Leye, ever attained He always impressed me at
these times as a devotee who could not forget he
was before the shrine however human aud gra-
ciously eondescendins the goddess might choose
70 oecsme. And In talking OF women In gather
ngs OF men. 10 his closest friend this reverental
attitude was more marked. He did not quarrel
with the disparaging remarks OF others unless
made about women whom he knew well; h sim
ply would not hear them. To hear Chayne talk
about women In a mixed group OF the young men
CT the day was as refreshing as a bubDliDg spring
OF Deep Rock water IN the midst OF an alkali des-
ert I'm midsummer. He didn't gush that would
have sDackec Of familiarity, and was contrary TO
his nature, anyway he was incapable OF think
ing anything wrong OF the sex. and his mind and
heart seemed making perpetual little acts OF ado
ration before them. IL he paid a woman a CON-
pEment De sure II came from his heart, and was
deserved tie was the soul OF truthfulneSS and
honor, and withal had a dominating pride and
self-respect which saved him from the suspicion OF
Stiffness callowness, OF want OF knowledge OF the
world
Ihave spoken OF my friend Chayne In the past
tense. He Is not dead, however. That Is, not ex-
aetly. did not see him for several months during
the summer and autumn. He strayed In the other
night at Wizards.
/ scarcely knew him The springy step was
gone; the confident bearing. the cheerful look,
were gone. Only the ghost or the smile was there
and that seemed no longer TO regard itself as a
permanent resident OF his fine eye but came and
went and fitted about In a nervous sort OF way
that bespoke dissatisfaction with its quarters.
Chayne was fearIully changed man. But, for
some occult reason, though was shocked at his
appearance. said nothing about it. Nor did any
of the group with which stood, all OF whom knew
Chayne The cause OF his Ill looks soon came out,
Chaynes overcoat pockets bulged with books.
Under his arm he had bundle OF books. couple
Of pamphlets protruded from the upper pocket Of
his cutaway.
"why, Chayne, old feIlow,rI said as we shook
hands are you turning yourself Into an itinerant
He laughe with a good deal OF his old-time Jol-
Hty, but did not explain about the books / saw
an empty seat IN a retired corner, and led him
toward it 10 talk with him at my leisure.
81 can stop but few minutes" he said: 81 have
these boOks at home first.
~oh, bother the engagement answered. ~
haven't seen you In months and want TO talk with
But It's with a lady and must be there prompt
~, he said, as II that settled the matter.
"And II you weren't there promptly, or not at all
would IL be the nrst time In the history OF the
world an engagement with a lady was broken?
You can get up good excuse, (" l continued, "and
know girls are good deal less critical about ex-
cuseS than most other people"
Chay ne laid down his books and set his lips
IN never do that" he said, determinedly, and
with some bitterness 81 told one lie TO her and
I've sworn never TO tell another TO any woman
HIS manner was so tragic that laughed at him.
EXCUSE my smiling, ebay mt, said, 'and my un-
worthy advice But won't you tell me why you
are doing the heavy tragic? What awful cofse-
quences followed that one LEE"
'.NOw. don't guy me, and don't give me away
he replied, turning toward me with his good ma
ture somewhat restored. sand Ill tell you all
about IT.
.sYou remember Marie-Miss Hichgradee- he
commenced. 'Of course, for / think YOU intro
duced me 70 her mother Well. the old lady asked
me 10 call You know what good, noble soul the
Il u
much OF the world and had contracted fewer OF It's
little vices She wont hear OF any compromisss
with deception, or lying, or scandal mongering.
She detestS people VINO tell little white lies for
pOIiteneSs sake or In joke. she says they are
towards as well as moral swindlers. And Marie
you know, Il just ike her mother In this respect.
Both OF them have spent years In Europe and the
East, and, think, could not only write first rate
uide-DooSs for all the cities ever heard of but con-
struct, on-hand, fair Typographical maps OF the
entire continent"
ayes, l know" 1 said, as Chayne stopped for
brows a. II overcome BY painful recollerfions
"While Col. Highyrade was United states minister
at the court OI Monaco, they spent most OF their
time roam ng around the Old world. But 90 on
with your story
.well. the irst thing did the first time called
was TO fan hOpees,ly, desperately, insaney In love
with Marie" Cnayne haIf-IaughinyIy. halI-pas-
slonately continued; al nd the next thing doubt
less as result OF my new insanity, was 10 an
over Europe myself"
IexcIained 'Great Heavens!- He shut his lips
again, AMI looked at me for pity, sympathy and
wonder. responded. especially In the matter OF
wonder, 10: had really never known Chayne 10
tell deliberate. cold FLOODED lie. "And you have
Deen compelled 10 avoid them ever since" said
.for fear they will md you out; and you are slow
ly going into decline between your hopeless love
for Marie and your morbid conscientiousness or
whatever you call IL. Is that how things stand?-
"wOrse than that" he answered with a butter
pathOs that made me pity him while inwar,ily
iIughed at his superb unsophisticatIon. :. IN had
had the courage 10 take that course might py
this time have forgotten Marie and had on my
had 10 tell that nj ht 10 back up the great original
lie- But no; didn't have the strength OF mind. I
called a second time In the course OF a week. de-
lUIing InyscI with the hope that they would for
get about Europe; or, II they did not, that could
turn the current or talk into other channels. Mad
ness. OF Europe, and Europe alone, they would
consent 70 talk that night. IL Was natural enough
I-aTnaps, seeing that my Insane lie led them 10
suppose tlAy were taking me back over pleasant
SreneS- Heavens! now got through that night
without Drtraylng my wretched secret I snail
never know. i should never have Succeeded m
Mare, boxing more beautiful than have ever
sen her since, wasn't constantly before me- goad
ins me on TO save my sell All The wit and cunning
In me came 20 my rescue j couldn't turn the con.
y@rsation on Europe, but did succeed moderately
well an Keeping 1t within areas with which nv
reading had made me familiar. I stuck mainly 10
Pans ans the highlands OF scotland There felt
strong, and whenever the Old lady or Marie showed
a disposition 10 make an excursion down the
Rhine or through Switzerland cunniugIy headed
wards OF through The Bots. on sent them trampIny
over the mOOrs or yOy aging among the lochs But
great heaNen.i II WAS an awful strain. and when
az asst IL Was over ana neryOusy said good night
knew that something must be done"
s'Ald what did you do?" Inquired SYMPATHETIC
ally.
apo. See all these books! They are all books Of
European travei-gulde books, biographies. mans
plans forJifcattOn EarDOrs runs and 80 forth
That's all have lived on for the last six months
When left that secOad night / at once b.s,an a
syste aatic course Of European and oriental geOv-
raphy, history and Antiquities / began with He
rUlOIns. PJolemy. XenOpnOn and JOsephus / re-
read .utarchs lives, and nearly all The Greek and
Latin historians Mythology and classical yeogra
pny deyoured a volume day. or a night rather
for read most Of the night. Every book thar In
ANY WAY would add 70 my know ledge OF DIac, and